Roscón de Reyes

Roscón de Reyes is a sweet ring-shaped bread that is prepared with a sweet, yeasted dough and comes topped with sugar and candied or dried fruit. Though the cake developed from pagan tradition, in modern times it became closely associated with the Epiphany, a Christian holiday held on January 6 that celebrates the arrival of three wise men who came to see Jesus Christ. It is believed that the present tradition started in 14th-century France, but it became deeply rooted in Spain, eventually reaching Latin America, namely Mexico, Argentina, and Uruguay. The cake appears under various names throughout Spain, southern France, Portugal, and Latin America - it is often flavored with orange blossom water or rum, while the center is occasionally filled with marzipan or whipped cream. Spanish tradition also suggests hiding a dry fava bean and a king figurine inside the cake. Whoever is lucky to find the figurine is proclaimed king for the day, while the one who finds the bean has to pay for the cake. In Mexico, a figurine of a baby is usually placed inside the bread, symbolizing Jesus in hiding, and the person who gets the piece with the figurine is expected to host a party on Día de la Candelaria (Candlemas).